Shipping

Dry Bulk Vessel Quarantined in Argentina Due to Suspected Mpox Case

Argentine authorities have quarantined a dry bulk vessel in the Paraná River following a suspected case of mpox among the crew.

The ship, which was near the port of Rosario, reported that a crew member of Indian nationality had developed cyst-like skin lesions, mainly on the chest and face, according to a statement from the health ministry.

The affected crew member has been isolated, and the vessel, which was en route to San Lorenzo port, has anchored in the river. The ship, flagged under Liberia, was sailing from Santos, Brazil, to load a cargo of soy.

The entire crew will remain in quarantine until health officials obtain the results of their tests.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years due to the rapid spread of a new variant, clade 1b, which was recently detected in Sweden, marking its first appearance outside Africa. Mpox is a viral infection that typically causes skin lesions and flu-like symptoms. While usually mild, it can be fatal, with the clade 1b variant raising concern for its apparent ease of transmission through close contact.